Sunday, July 17, 2011

38 week checkup

On Thursday I had my 38 week checkup.  I am 3 cm dilated.  My blood pressure was a little elevated (130/82) so he told me to come in on Tuesday so he could watch it a little closer.  Baby's heartbeat was 135.  Nothing too crazy to report; my feet & legs are still swollen and I am having some contractions and back pain.  I am just laying low in the house during this fantastic hot weather we are having. 

My mom has been hanging out this weekend since Chris is working.  She seems more worried than I am that I'm going to go into labor when Chris is gone =)   

Monday, July 11, 2011

Weekly checkups....

I am now at the point where I go to the doctor every week.  At my 36 week appt when he checked me he said he didn't expect to feel much of anything, I suppose since this is my first pregnancy.  He started checking me and said "Oh...."  When he was finished he said not to be surprised if baby comes early.  Chris and I just looked at each other like "Holy crap!"  I guess I really have to do this!  Well of course nothing happened and back to the doctor I go the next week.

At my 37 week appt. last week the heartbeat was about 140, I was about 70% effaced and between 1 & 2 cm dilated.  Not sure if that is much progress, but still nothing has happened. 

I think he jinxed me when he said to not be surprised if I go early.  I'll still be pregnant in August...just watch!

A Quick Trip to OB

A couple weeks ago (the weekend before the 4th) I had to take a little trip up to OB to get monitored.  Here's how it went:
That Saturday night I did not sleep at all.  Tossed and turned all night.  I finally fell asleep at about 4:00 a.m. but woke up at 5:00 a.m. with THE WORST headache of my life.  I am not joking.  It was horrible.  It really freaked me out so I got online and googled "sudden headache pregnant".  Bad idea.  Google should be blocked from all pregnant people.  Well one of the websites said if you could feel your pulse in your head (which I could) you should go get checked out because it could be your blood pressure.  Now, my blood pressure has been on the low side my entire pregnancy, but because of my huge cankles and all my swelling everyone seems so worried about it.  Everyone but me and my doctor....it's normal summer swelling people!  Anywho, of course now it's always in the back of my mind, so I called the ER.  Some snot answered the phone and proceeded to tell me they could not give medical advice over the phone.  Um....excuse me, did I not just call a HOSPITAL??  I could tell she just wanted to get rid of me.  So I hung up and called my mom at 6:00 a.m. just bawling.  She told me to just go get checked out.  I knew she would say that.  Then, Chris gets on the phone and calls ER and talks to the same chick.  But this time he magically gets transferred up to OB.  Stupid receptionist.  I told her I was pregnant...why couldn't she have done that in the first place?

Anywho, I talked to an OB nurse and she said I could come get checked out, even if it was just for peace of mind.  So, off we went. But since it was 6:00 in the morning, we had to go through the ER entrance.  Ugh. 

So we get there, and there's the chick who answered the phone.  And she's just as pregnant as I am.  She took one look at me and Chris and got outta there.  Yeah good idea.  If looks coulda killed...she'd be dead.  Then we had to check in.  Let me just say a couple weeks before this I filled out all my pre-registration forms for the hospital so they had all my information, but failed to enter it into their system yet.  So there I am sitting in the ER crying and this 104 year old lady is asking me all the questions that are on the registration form that I already completed.  Twice.  I finally couldn't take it anymore and looked up at Chris and he just took over.  Thank God. 

An OB nurse came down to get us and we were quickly up in OB in a room.  Next thing I knew I was strapped to a bed with a fetal and contraction monitor hooked up to me.  The minute I heard baby's heartbeat I had instant tears in my eyes.  I knew baby was okay because I could feel him/her moving, but hearing that heartbeat just about did me in. 

I had a great nurse that morning but they are short staffed up there so she had to leave two times to deliver babies.  Well, I started feeling like I was going to get sick.  Thankfully the nurse was in the room at the time because I was strapped to the bed and couldn't get to the bathroom.  And there was no bucket in my room so the nurse went running for one.  She made it back just in time.  First time I ever puked in front of Chris....and I do have to say he handled it well.   

The nurse had to leave again so they just had me lie there so I could be monitored for a while.  Everything was fine; no high blood pressure, no contractions, nothing.  They called my doctor and he prescribed some Zofran (anti-nausea pill) and a Vicodin.  The nurse came in and gave it to me and sent us home.  Bad idea.  The elevator ride down to the main floor just about did me in.  It was way too fast and I literally went running to the bathroom after getting off.  I made it to the bathroom, but that was it.  Puke everywhere.  I tried cleaning up the best I could but said screw it and we just went home.  So, needless to say the Vicodin and Zofran didn't even get into my system.  Ugh.

We got home and I laid on the couch for about an hour.  Then I remembered that back in January my doctor prescribed Tylenol III and Zofran back when I was having bad headaches then.  So I took one of each and Chris went to the store to get caffeine and peppermint oil.  I googled home remedies for migraines when we got home and found that peppermint oil works.  Oh my gosh.  Within 10 minutes of rubbing that oil on my temples my headache was gone.  Thank God!